


Urban Magic

by Whyistheskyblue



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Gen, Urban Magic AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-08-24 13:28:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8373925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whyistheskyblue/pseuds/Whyistheskyblue
Summary: Honestly this is just an excerpt from the middle of an au that themoreyoustrex and I have been talking about a lot recently.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [My_Own_Infinity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Own_Infinity/gifts).



When a man comes into the shop wearing the most expensive suit Kevin has ever seen and asks to speak with Leonard, Kevin knows there's trouble. The man tucks his hands into his pockets and looks around, a general air of disapproval radiating off of him. The apprentice feels suddenly self conscious, aware of the ink stains on his shirt from where he had knocked an uncorked bottle off of Chris’s desk earlier and the unruly way his hair was sticking up on one side. That was also Chris's fault.

“Ricardo Vega.” Leonard greats the other man, smiling and shaking his hand. “I haven't seen you in two centuries.” Kevin does his best not to eavesdrop from his position behind the register, but he can't help but do a double take. So _this_ was the Ricardo Vega that Chris had told him about. The Ricardo Vega who was considered one of the most powerful wizards alive. The Ricardo Vega that Christopher had run away from, for some still unspecified reason. “What brought you in? I was under the impression you imported most of your supplies directly.”

“I'm here to collect something that already belongs to me.” Ricardo’s voice is smooth, almost hypnotic. If Kevin didn't know better, he'd think that the wizard was trying to cast a spell over them.

“I can't recall anything you've ordered from me, much less payed for.” Tension is lurking in Leonard's voice as he takes a step back, lips pursed. Kevin feels his heart sink. “And unless you're here to do business, I can't help you.”

“I'm here for my apprentice, Leonard. I know he's here, his aura is all over this place.” Leonard's lips tighten further. “Don't play stupid, it's not a flattering act for you.”

“Ricardo-”

“As far as I'm concerned, he's a runaway. And you can either hand him over or I can bring a ministry official next time.” Ricardo is eerily calm, even as he threatens the pair. “And he's such a bright boy with so much potential. Really, it would be a shame for him to have this black mark on his record. And I know you don’t want the law looking into whatever you're selling from that backroom of yours.” Leonard sighs and picks up the phone.

“Christopher? I need you on the shop floor. Something's come up.” There's a pause. “No, Kevin hasn't hurt himself. He hasn't hurt anyone else either. Just get your ass down here.”

“You can't do this.” Kevin protests as soon as Leonard's hung up. “You can't just _trick  Christopher_ and give him to this - this asshole!” Ricardo chuckles. “I'm not letting you take him.” Kevin rounds on the older man, hands clenched so hard that his fingernails cut half moons into his palms.

“How do you plan on stopping me? Claiming Christopher is well within my rights as his master. Insofar as anyone is concerned I'm simply collecting my stray apprentice.”

“Is there something more going on than that, Ricardo?” Leonard cuts across him, eyebrow raised.

“Of course not.” Ricardo’s grin says there is.

“What's up?” Christopher calls, thumping down the stairs. There's ink stains all over his fingers and a stray pen tucked behind his ear. Kevin's heart breaks as the smile falls off of Christopher’s face. Ricardo crosses the room and grabs Christopher's face, possessive as he turns it from side to side.

“Runes Christopher, really?” Ricardo is incredulous as examines the small glyphs behind the apprentice’s ears and creeping up his hands and arms. “I've told you more than once they're beneath your talents.”

“What are you doing here?” Christopher's voice is high and tight as he stands perfectly still. Even from where he stands Kevin can tell that Ricardo is pressing bruises into his apprentice’s face.

“I've come to collect you. You’ve been gone for far too long.”

“I wonder why that is.” Kevin snorts.

“Pack up whatever you've started working on since you got here. I'll review it and decide what's worth keeping once we get home.

“I'm not going with you.” Christopher backs up. “You can't make me.” There's panic in Christopher's eyes when his back hits the wall.

“I can, actually.” Ricardo’s voice is bored. “I don't understand why you'd rather stay _here_ -”

“Probably because no one here wants to fuck me.” Christopher says loudly, cutting off whatever insult Ricardo was going to spew. Kevin sucks in a breath as a muscle on Ricardo’s jaw twitches. Leonard seems unfazed. So _that_ was the big secret. The unspoken reason Chris had preferred sleeping in an alley to staying with his master.

“No one?” Ricardo asks, voice ice as he turns to look Kevin. “I find that hard to believe. I know the - impulses that boys have.”

“You're not taking him. You don't have any right to.” Kevin swallows down the fear that had risen to the top of his throat and squared his shoulders.

“Are you challenging me, boy?” Kevin feels tendrils of magic begin to wrap around his sides, constricting his movement. “You should think long and hard about how badly you want to die tonight before you do anything so foolish.” Kevin wants to respond, but as soon as his lips part something forces it's way into his mouth, gagging him. Ricardo smirks. “That's what I thought.”

“Leave the boy alone, Ricardo.” Leonard sounds weary, as though he had aged another millennia in the last fifteen minutes.

“I don't plan on doing anything to _your_ apprentice.” Ricardo wraps a hand around Christopher's wrist. “ _Mine_ , on the other hand, is in for a world of trouble.” Christopher looks to Kevin again as though waiting for the other boy to speak up for him. When nothing is said his shoulders drop and the flicker of fight goes out from his eyes.

Ricardo doesn’t release the spell until Leonard has retrieved Christopher’s notes and the pair are headed out the door. The last thing Kevin gets to hear is Ricardo berating his apprentice about the time he wasted studying nonsense.

 

* * *

 

Ricardo is silent on the cab ride home, absorbed in his phone. Christopher's fingers tap nervously over his knees as he waits for his master to say something; waits for the other shoe to drop.  When they arrive at their destination Ricardo simply leaves the car. Christopher wonders what would happen if he told the cab driver to floor it, to get him out of there while he still had a hope of seeing sunshine for the next eight years. Instead he follows the older magician inside and into the elevator and through the front door of the obscenely large penthouse apartment.

“So you did find him.” Diego's voice is disinterested as he takes in the pair. “Was he stuck in the gutter? I can smell him from here.” Ricardo’s son is perched on a stool at the counter, writing in a leather bound book with one hand as he makes colored lights dance around the room. They disappear when Diego snaps the book closed and stands. “I'll be in my room. Try to make sure he doesn't scream too loud. The neighbors complained last time.”

“What am I going to do with you, Christopher?” Ricardo asks once they're alone. “Do you know how worried I've been? And your parents?” The magician settles onto the stool Diego had left. “You did a very selfish and irresponsible thing.”

Christopher remains silent.

“I could turn you over to the authorities. Take away your chance of ever getting a job.” No response. “I could put you in a summoning circle and see how you like getting acquainted with a minor demon.” Still no response. “I could demand reparations from Leonard, for keeping my property from me.” This earns Ricardo a sharp look. “I won't, if you promise to be very, very good.”

“My answer is still no.” Christopher crosses his arms and swallows even as shame burns in his cheeks.

“I haven't even told you what I want yet.” The older man coos. “Do you really think I want to fuck you as your punishment? No, no, no. That's a reward.” Ricardo shakes his head. “I'm grounding you. Nine months. You can't leave the apartment unless you're accompanied by myself or Diego.”

“Nine months!”

“Just as long as you were gone. You can use the extra time to learn everything you ought to have been studying while you were - absent.” Ricardo motions Christopher to come closer. “Don't make me get up, Christopher. You won't like the consequences.” The apprentice shuffles to stand between Ricardo’s legs. He manages to refrain from fidgeting as the older man looks him up and down, pinching Christopher’s side through his clothes. “We'll go shopping tomorrow. I don't think any of your old things will fit; you've lost far too much weight.”

Christopher glares at a spot on the floor, determined not to let Ricardo know how bothered he is by being looked at like a piece of meat. He’s well aware of how out of place he looked in the sleek apartment, and he does his best not to draw the natty jacket closer around his shoulders. “Is that all?”

“Is that all, what?” Christopher bites his lip as Ricardo slaps him, once, across the face.

“Is that all, sir?” The apprentice’s voice is smaller, weary and worn.

“You'll find your room as you left it. Take a shower and go to bed.” Ricardo stands, forcing Christopher to take a step back. “I'll deal with sorting out your course work in the morning.” Christopher nods and heads towards the hall. “And Christopher? Don't make the mistake of thinking I'll go easy on you anymore.”

 

* * *

 

 

“How could you let him _take_ Chris like that?” Kevin turns and yells as soon as he can. “He can't just waltz I'm here like some rich, demanding, _twat_ and demand a human being.” Kevin is vibrating, his tattoos glowing faintly in reaction to the anger coursing through him.

“ _Calm down._ ” Leonard snaps. This is one of the few times Kevin has ever heard his master raise his voice. “Do you really think denying him would have done anything except make him angry? Put that brain of yours to work, Kevin.” Leonard runs a hand through his hair and lets out a sharp breath. “The kid knew the risk he was running by refusing to enter an apprenticeship contract with me.”

“What's he going to do to Chris?” Kevin paces through the narrow and crowded aisles. “He's not going to _hurt_ him or anything, right?” Surely there are laws in place against that.

“I doubt Ricardo will do anything that would damage him. Not after he spent so long looking for him.” There's a long silence. “Permanently damage him.”

“ _Permanently!_ ”

“What are you expecting? He ran away from his master. Ricardo Vega isn't exactly known for his kindness.” Leonard shakes his head and begins to head back upstairs.

“Leonard, please don't let him get away with this.”

“What do you expect me to do? Christopher is contractually obligated to stay under Ricardo’s tutelage for ten years. So long as Ricardo provides an education, his treatment of Chris isn't unlawful. No one has ever been punished for pushing their apprentice too hard.” Leonard turns to peer down the stairs at Kevin. “Ricardo Vega is going to keep pushing that boy until he snaps, and then he's going to pick up the pieces and tell Chris that it was all for his own good.”

“He shouldn't be allowed to do that.” Kevin grabs the counter, glaring at the rows of scrying crystals. His reflection glares back, dozens of tiny Kevin's blinking in unison.

“The law disagrees.” Leonard comes down the stairs and puts a hand on Kevin’s shoulder. Kevin can see the weariness etched into the fine lines that branch out from his master’s eyes.

“Then the law should be changed.” Kevin spins, breaking eye contact with the crystals to make it with Leonard.

“You're preaching to the choir, kid. But unless you can convince the council, you're shit outa luck.”

 

* * *

 

The bed at Ricardo’s is infinitely more comfortable than the bed at Leonard's, but Christopher still finds himself tossing and turning. The shower had washed away the last of whatever it was Diego had smelled, something Christopher was only just beginning to identify as “home”. It smelled like Kevin and henna and the impossibly old spell books that Leonard keeps in his office (away from prying eyes). And now it was gone, replaced with laundry detergent and a faintly herbal scent. Even the clothes he had walked in wearing were gone, picked up by some overly helpful nymph that Ricardo had bound to keep the house tidy.

Christopher realizes with a start that this is the first time he's slept alone in months. It doesn't feel right. He misses the weight of Kevin pressing him into the sheets, the scent of Kevin's hair in his nose, the rune on Kevin’s left shoulder that glows faintly and was always perfectly in Christopher's line of sight.

Magic buzzes to his fingers when Christopher sits up and crosses to his desk. A brief search of the top drawer yields a small copper disk, polished into a perfect mirror. Rosemary oil is procured next. Peppermint would be better, but the vial was missing - probably taken by Diego, who had used the last of his and was too lazy to go out and buy more. As he draws the glyph to scry his fingers start to tingle, he can see the street outside Ricardo’s apartment building. He focuses on Kevin, on the shop with it's unswept floor and the apartment covered in books and magical bric a brac, the oil flashes and the copper goes blank.

“Son of a bitch.” Christopher sticks his singed fingers in his mouth, glaring at the now ruined disk. Of course Leonard has protections in place against prying eyes.

“I told you to go to sleep.” Ricardo’s voice whispers in his ear, making the apprentice look around wildly. He's alone in the too large room. “Go to bed.” The voice is insistent, and rather than upset whatever Ricardo had set to watch him, Christopher crawls back into bed and stares at the ceiling.

 

* * *

 

Kevin stares at the upper bunk that Chris had only slept in the first few weeks, the upper bunk that existed only for Leonard's peace of mind. He realizes, sullenly, that sleep isn't going to be forthcoming tonight.

He rolls to face the wall.

There he can see the shimmering oil, runes to soundproof the room (for Leonard's peace of mind). Christopher had insisted on them about two weeks in, after Leonard had passive aggressively asked if they had enjoyed their night. Christopher had painted them, carefully referencing a book that Kevin had never seen. He had been biting his lip, he did that when he concentrated. More than once Kevin had kissed him and tasted blood.

Kevin rolls over again.

Even in the darkness he can see the little pieces of Chris. The shirt thrown over the back of the chair, the (still) uncorked bottle of ink, a stray book perched precariously on the shelf that housed the odds and ends the pair didn't have a better home for.

Kevin rolls again.

In the morning, Leonard finds Kevin sleeping on the couch, the old jacket they had found Chris in wrapped around a pillow and secured in Kevin’s arms. He's smiling, lost in dream. The older magician sighs and lets him sleep. There will be plenty of time for Kevin to be miserable later.


End file.
